Glass has just gotten a nice update to XE12, which besides foretelling the long-awaited iOS app, brings with it new Glassware, gestures, and questions.

Perhaps most important, the update introduces new glassware for Hangouts. Not being able to interact with the service by sending and receiving messages has been an elephant in the room for Glass from the beginning, so it's great to see that compatibility has finally arrived. The glassware will also take over Glass' video call capabilities, and allow users to send photos too.

The update also enables the wink gesture for users of Glass purchased or swapped after October 28th, allowing for quick, inconspicuous, dare we say a little creepy snapping of photos with a simple wink. Glass has had the untapped capability to take photos with a wink for a while, and until XE11, an app called Winky could do the job, but now the gesture is official.

If you find yourself shooting a lot of short videos with Glass and then leaving them to decay in your timeline, good news - XE12 brings new YouTube glassware that will allow you to upload your videos.

With XE12, Glass can also answer questions about caloric intake ("how many calories are in a banana?") and distance between locations (for example "how far is Brooklyn?").

Play Music's "Listen" menu, after XE12, allows for quick scrolling through playlists created with the Play Music app or website, and Glass users can now select "I'm Feeling Lucky Radio," or browse "My Stations."

Another highly requested feature that comes to Glass with XE12 is the ability to lock Glass' screen. We actually saw this feature as a lab all the way back in XE8. The lock will require you to enter "your secret Glass handshake," a gesture based on taps and swipes.

Finally, the update does away with the message signature, which many users complained was too ostentatious, appending "| sent through Glass" to outgoing emails and SMS messages. The update also cuts "Guest Mode," a mode meant for demoing the Glass Interface with fake cards.

If you've got Glass, plug in your charger and grab the update. Otherwise, check out the release notes linked below.

Ya know I do have about 2k worth of stocks I could sell to buy glass...

Tim

Yeah, I thought of that too, but its price is going to drop faster than the stocks when it comes out, and there is not much chance of making money with it...

Chris

Yeah I was half kidding. While I do really want to try glass, how often would I actually be using it? Not like I can wear it to work and there goes 1/3 of my time...and I'd rather get a "finished" consumer version at a cheaper price anyway.

Jim

I would not use one much neither (nor would ever wear one in public), but would like to program one. I use to get devices like that with large developer discounts, but these days they seem to only want lots of money from stupid users and vultures taking crap-shots...

jrop

Glass seems to me like it could be a lot of fun to use. However, I'm not even going to think of buying this unless it's <$400. Even then, I'm only probably buying it if its between $200-$300.

Kcls

I think $150-$199 is my limit.

jrop

For sure. That sounds even more reasonable to me. It just better not be $1500.

jrop

The NSA's gonna have a hay-day if the consumer version can operate as a brain-cap to read it's user's thoughts.

Woot. Downloading it now. Super excited that there's a new update and even more excited to start programming for it.

fonix232

Everybody in the comments is bitching about the pricing of a beta product, that is not commercially released. Why?

Relating to the update: it is pretty awesome. Go to a bar, wink at a cute girl, and photo snapped. Then use one of those sideloaded apps that can do face recognition on Facebook, add her, all in a few moments. Creepy, but effective.

Mario E Hdez

Yessssssss. Everything I've wanted. I hope they made it made it better at taking and making phone calls as well. I have invites to give away this week if anyone is willing to pay the cost of entry.

topgun966

I sent mine back today. :( It was pretty cool but will just wait for public release when the price comes down. Its not worth it right now. I did take a few videos of my flying lessons. I have some invite codes if anyone wants them.

hot_spare

This is the most stupid and irrelevant product I have ever seen. You pay money and end up looking like a douche.